Bonanza awaits butterfly lovers at conservatory in Tiruchirapalli

Tiruchirapalli (TN): A visual treat awaits Lepidopterists at the sprawling Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in the Upper Anaicut Forest Reserve area in the district, which is all set to welcome hundreds of butterflies.

Spread over 25 acres and nestled in between the Cauvery and Coleroon rivers in Srirangam, the conservatory has an in house breeding laboratory for non-scheduled butterflies, floral and nectar patches, walkways and a restroom for tired feet, forest department officials said.

With an infusion of additional funding of Rs 3.3 crore from the state tourism department, plans are on to house an amphitheatre and additional walkways and pipelines for irrigation and drinking water.

An interesting feature of the conservatory is the presence of a 'Nakshatra Vanam', in which plant species corresponding to the 27 stars of the Hindu almanac and 12 zodiac signs had been planted, forest department official Venkatesh said.

Work at the conservatory is entering the final stage of completion and is likely to be thrown open to the public some time next month.